The world has been overwhelmed with the ever so known COVID-19. This worldwide pandemic has unfortunately altered the way we live our lives. Working from home, towns, and businesses closing, people being quarantined, are just a few things that have been affecting our world and our communities.

It seems almost everyone in the Northwest Florida community—and much of the Southeast in general—remembers the early morning of Wednesday, February 13, 2019, when the dreaded news of Grayton Beach’s beloved Red Bar burned down to the ground.

On February 1, Scenic Sotheby’s International Realty hosted a celebration of its agents and staff at The Henderson Beach Resort and Spa in Destin, Florida. This annual event is to recognize the successes of the brokerage’s team members throughout 2019.

One year later, citizens of Mexico Beach and the surrounding areas of the Florida Panhandle are still dealing with massive cleanup endeavors, rebuilding homes and reopening businesses, waiting for insurance claims to go through, and working hard to get area schools ready to resume—but they have hope for the future.

Congratulations to the The St. Joe Company and Acension/Sacred Heart Health System on the groundbreaking of their new facility located adjacent to the WaterSound Origins community on Highway 98 in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida!

The 2nd annual "Under the Sea" fund-raising event on May 9, 2019, at Grand Boulevard Town Center kicked off the annual Art Month South Walton and celebrated the Underwater Museum of Art's second voyage with a night of art, dancing, cocktails, food, and fun.

Now celebrating its 40th anniversary and the start of the summer season, The Zoo Gallery will host an exclusive book signing and reading with author Raven Roxanne and trunk show with Magnolia Pearl on Saturday, May 11, at its Grand Boulevard location just in time for the 31st Annual ArtsQuest festival.

The Second Annual SandJam Presented by Pepsi Rock Festival is this weekend in Panama City Beach! Kings of Leon, Third Eye Blind, Young The Giant, and over 20 more acts are scheduled to perform by the Gulf of Mexico. There's still time to get your tickets and get to the beach!

The Sacred Heart Foundation is rolling out the green carpet for the inaugural Emerald Ball on Saturday, May 18 at the Hilton Sandestin Beach Golf Resort & Spa. The black-tie gala will benefit the Comprehensive Spine Program at Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast.

Grayton Beer Company will host a free fund-raising concert with Panama City native Will Thompson, on Friday, November 9, 2018, from 6–9 PM. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase six-packs of the Rebound American Lager and merchandise whose sales will directly aid Hurricane Michael relief efforts.

Some say, “the world is your oyster”—however, the team at Peat & Pearls says the oyster is their world! On October 4–7, 2018, we joined the Second Annual Peat & Pearls festival in downtown Pensacola to celebrate two of their favorite things: Scotch and delicious oysters.

The prettiest pearls wouldn’t exist without a little grit, and the Gulf Coast, known for its opulent sugar-white beaches and Old South charm, was built on the backs of fishermen, sailors, and seafarers. Peat & Pearls celebrates this heritage through two of our favorite things: Scotch and oysters.